From his involvement as president of the Resident’s Committee to props man for the XYZ “eXtra Years of Zest” group, Les Mersiadies is no stranger to putting his hand up in the name of community spirit.
Supporting XYZ group’s mantra, “entertainment for the residents by the residents”, Les is an integral team facilitator and helps carry out events for The Village Yeronga residents.
“I was drawn into the people-oriented activities of the XYZ group,” Les explains.
“It all started out with the choir. They put on regular performances but then they moved into doing song and dance type routines and were looking for different people to get involved.
“XYZ grew from there and eventually became quite a major event. Now we’re putting on full plays that run for about an hour-and-a-half.”
While he normally prefers behind-the-scenes work, Les says he regularly finds himself taking on lead and supporting roles in XYZ’s various productions, such as in a recent performance of a “spoof” of The Village Yeronga.
“We were fronts for people who might be in The Village,” Les says.
“It was all good humour, just having a laugh at ourselves.
“Everybody seemed to think I did a good job, but it’s not my comfort zone.”
Les credits XYZ director and fellow resident Eunice Leitch as being the brains behind the group, which she founded 15 years ago. He says the special atmosphere created by the XYZ group gives residents at The Village exposure to events that they might not otherwise experience.
“XYZ is for people who just want to see things happen and make others feel like they’re part of the community.”
“It’s nice to get out and be involved with other people. You’ve still got to live life. You can’t just suddenly stop.”
Les’ selfless dedication to sharing joy throughout his Yeronga community is extended through his efforts at Christmas time, where he and the XYZ team carry out their annual Deck the Halls event.
“During that week, the choir puts on a few evening performances, and The Salvation Army Band always comes in,” Les says.
“Then there’s other musicians that come in and do some musical presentations as well.
“We have a group of Santa Clauses that wander around the place and hand out lollies and that kind of thing.
“It’s all to lighten the place up and make the most of the Christmas festivities.”
Before his recreational involvement in the performing arts, Les worked as an architect on several impressive projects such as the Gabba Cricket Ground redevelopment, Leeds University Undergraduate Library, and the Barbican Centre in London.
He worked for the Queensland Works Department before retiring in 1998. He thought he’d never work again, but 12 months later he received a phone call that changed his mindset.
“I was asked to join the South Bank Project Management team as a consultant project manager for the 10-year construction phase of the new South Bank Parklands until its completion in 2008,” he explains.
“The South Bank site was just a plowed field basically, with nothing there at all except for two hotels that were on the land. It was fairly challenging and quite exhilarating to watch it develop day by day. It was a most rewarding project on which to finish my career.”
Les has lived with his wife Karen at The Village Yeronga since 2015, and when he’s not rehearsing his upcoming play, he enjoys watercolour painting, wood carving, and taking his staffy, Aki, for walks.
“XYZ is for people who just want to see things happen and make others feel like they’re part of the community.”
